Under-fire Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has warned rebel MPs they will never be able to take the party's name if they decide to set-up a breakaway organisation.

It has been reported that dissenting Labour MPs are preparing to elect their own leader and launch a legal challenge for the party's name and assets if Owen Smith fails to win the battle for the top job.

But Mr Corbyn has branded the situation as bizarre and appeared relaxed as he made an appearance at a leadership campaign rally in Hull.

Jeremy Corbyn poses for a picture with a Unite rep at a Labour leadership campaign rally in Queen's Gardens in Hull

Mr Corbyn snaps a selfie with one of his supporters. He has warned rebel MPs they will never be able to take the party's name if they decide to set-up a breakaway organisation

Mr Corbyn has branded the new Labour leadership campaign as bizarre and appeared relaxed as he made an appearance at a leadership campaign rally in Hull

He posed for selfies with the crowds while one man held up a placard calling Mr Corbyn 'the king of the north'.

And speaking earlier today, Mr Corbyn said: 'We are getting into some fairly bizarre territory here where unnamed MPs, funded from unnamed sources, are apparently trying to challenge - via the Daily Telegraph - the very existence of this party.

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'I say to them: 'Think on, and think again'. This party was founded by brave people, pioneers who achieved a great deal, and this party has a huge membership and under the Registration of Parties Act we are the Labour Party.

'There's no alternative, there's no other party, we are the Labour Party, and I'm very proud to be the leader of the Labour Party.'

It has been reported that dissenting Labour MPs are preparing to elect their own leader and launch a legal challenge for the party's name and assets if Owen Smith fails to win the battle for the top job

Hundreds of people turned up at the Queen's Gardens in Hull for Mr Corbyn's Labour leadership campaign rally today

Mr Corbyn also denied his leadership could trigger a split, saying: 'Sorry, this is nonsense, whoever is saying my leadership is leading to a break-up of the party? Since I became leader membership has doubled, activity has increased.'

Meanwhile shadow chancellor John McDonnell urged Mr Smith to condemn 'the minority of MPs supporting his campaign who are threatening to subvert the outcome of this election and cause enormous damage to the Labour Party', but the leadership challenger responded by insisting he would not 'indulge in gossip.'

He also said it would be disastrous for the country if the party were to form a breakaway group.

He told ITV News: 'It would be a total disaster for working people in this country if the Labour Party, the party that's been on their side for 100 years or more, were to split.

'Absolute disaster. I'm refusing even to contemplate that happening. I'm standing in order to unite the party and stop the split from occurring.

'This leadership process is now entirely about Labour members and supporters. We have a one member, one vote system, so MPs will have the same amount of say as all Labour members - exactly as it should be.'

The spat came as Mr Smith took his battle to topple Mr Corbyn into 'enemy territory' with a campaign push in Liverpool.

Many at the rally held up signs with one calling Mr Corbyn 'King of the North' and another calling for people to support democracy

The pitches came as former shadow cabinet member Angela Eagle warned Labour MPs to moderate their language after Mr Smith was forced to apologise for controversial comments aimed at Prime Minister Theresa May.

Mr Smith, who toppled Ms Eagle as the 'unity' candidate tasked with ousting Mr Corbyn as Labour leader by dissenting MPs, drew widespread criticism for saying he wanted to 'smash' Mrs May 'back on her heels'.

Ms Eagle told The Guardian: 'He should have, and has, apologised. As someone that has heard cruel words spoken about me, I know that language matters. And we've all got a responsibility to be sensitive with our use of language.

'Owen has shown a capacity to recognise, and apologise for, insensitivity, and that's important.'